Once upon a time, I was broke, as a professional writer and blogger. I needed to clear up some challenges that arose in the financial department. I was also in need of changing my primary writing machine and the traditional laptops (read: Windows and Mac OS) weren’t options or even on the menu because of the cost. I needed to think outside the box.
Now, before that time, I had never opted for something creative or novel and succeeded: from vehicles to phones and everything else: it always had a way of ending in premium tears. However, being who I am, I wasn’t deterred, despite having ordered a device running Windows CE in the past and discovering that the ‘OS’ was completely useless for my intended use.
After long and tiring hours of research, I narrowed down my options to a Chromebook and decided that the best bet for me needed to be an option that was less than $500 or, preferably, $400 or, even less. The problem was that, getting across to such an option in the midst of many other options was a challenge. Many sources were quoting different and contrasting solutions and the inducement, I suspected, was simply affiliate commissions.
It was also clear that they did not use the options they were recommending right, left, and center. When there was evidence of use, it was sorely for ‘testing purposes’ and to get photographs for the ‘reviews’. There simply wasn’t any option that was recommended by a regular Chromebook user that had also used the said Chromebook for any extended period of time, say at least, six months but preferably, a year or more.
I was frustrated.
Broke and reaching the end of my options, I finally decided to try an option based on a unique blend of faith and guts. I also promised myself that if the Chromebook turned out excellent, I’d run a special article series on it, covering all the areas I believe were its greatest selling points and what I know as of fact (hammered by months of daily use) that it could achieve, not also forgetting it limitations.
So, here we are; the very best Chromebook offer for $400 or less.
Important Note:
Please, note that, due to the high inflation rate around the world and particularly, in the US at the moment, the price of the Chromebook mentioned here may be above $400 at the time when you’re accessing this article. At the time of writing and publishing this article, however, the information here was 100% accurate and the Chromebook mentioned was well below $400.
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The Best Chromebook Under $400
The best Chromebook under $400 (or $500, if you please) is the HP x360 14a Chromebook. This unique Chromebook has the ability to convert into a tablet, a traditional computer clamshell mode, and importantly, can also brilliantly offer you the best world between tablet and clamshell mode: the tent mode.
However, everyone who has an internet connection and data these days can have an opinion of anything online. Usually, it is when the details are asked that sense or a lack thereof begins to show.
So, what makes this HP x360 Chromebook the best option you can pick up under $500 (or $400, if you will)?
Many, actually.
7 Reasons Why The x360 Is The Best Chromebook Under $500 (Or $400, If You Prefer)
There are many solid reasons why the x360 is the best Chromebook under $500 or if you prefer $400. However, detailed below are the most noticeable and powerful reasons:
1. A Premium Design That Is Above The Price Bracket. By Far
When I ordered my x360 to be used for writing and blogging activities, I had no idea what a Chromebook was like, physically. Before then too, I hadn’t even seen one, talk more of being privileged of using same. I was thus completely in the dark and relied on reviews such as this one I’m writing here and YouTube videos. When I placed the order finally, I wasn’t expecting much; and I was prepared to take whatever came my way.
However, when the order arrived and I actually opened it up, I was impressed with the quality of the materials and the finishing. I was further impressed with the fact that the system rather looked like a Macbook, especially in its silver rendering. It was well made and appeared to me then like something that will also last, down the line.
A year and six months after that date and I can tell you authoritatively that the Chromebook has proved its quality and held up better than I would have ever imagined, especially, given its price point. The hinges are as perfect as when I first took delivery (I was scared of this bit, the system being the convertible variant). The lid still closes with a magnetic assurance that sometimes sees me opening and closing the same repeatedly just to hear and feel that majestic ‘click’.
There is no way anyone can tell, just by looking at the system or even using it that it is a very affordable unit and as a matter of fact, retails for well under $500. It is made that good and its engineering is that sturdy.
2. Battery Life That You Can Easily Count On
No one loves the reality of needing to take the wall charger either on commutes or to the workplace, simply for the purpose of keeping a system alive and powered on. This is actually old school. Unfortunately, for many Chromebooks on sale in the market today (and even the vast majority of laptops, this cannot be helped or even avoided).
This is where the genius of the x360 14a comes in. The unit is capable of going just under 14 hours when used for word processing and within a reasonable display ambit. As if this is not enough, the battery still provides similar power offering and battery reality after a good 18 months of daily use which sometimes sees me using the laptop non-stop for an entire day.
This is battery badassery at its best. It never gets better than this, especially units that are available at this price point.
3. A 3-In-1 Reality (You Read That Right, Not 2 But 3!)
It is often said (and rightly too), that all work and no play makes jack a dull boy. This statement, said and taken in isolation makes little sense. However, when you’re plagued with work that keeps increasing as a professional writer or blogger, then, you’ll appreciate the full import of this statement. Sometimes, you may even need to go well out of your way to create time so that your mental health and overall productivity won’t be affected.
It is that important and vital.
For most Chromebooks, especially those under the $500 mark, this will mean investing money further into a toy, or plaything. After the challenges of work and the stress that often accompanies it, you will need to switch to the tablet or other device(s) for fun.
This is where the x360 excels, madly. All that you need to do as a user is to flip the computer into either tent or tablet mode and ignite the fun. With this, your workhorse is also your plaything…all you need to achieve this is a simple flip of the lid into the appropriate position and you’re either binge-watching your favorite show or typing away like your life actually depends on the speed with which you rap the keyboard with.
This is a reality that is very hard to see happen brilliantly under the $500 category.
4. Presence Of A Full Sized Keyboard And Display
The catch for cheap or super reasonably priced computers is that something certainly has to give to ensure that the computers are retailed for such a cheap price in the first place. Many computers in this category have either miniature keyboards or tiny displays, well below the 11-inch mark.
The result?
A Chromebook that appears very difficult to differentiate from a toy or something that children should be playing with. You might even find out that your kids might think you just bought them a toy when what you purchased is actually a Chromebook for your own personal use.
The x360 14a Chromebook comes as a breath of fresh air to that challenge; sporting a classical 14-inch display and a standard keyboard, the device is sufficient for full-time work as it is feature ready for full-time play. If you’re thinking of typing all day without straining your eyes or hurting your fingers, you’re covered. It doesn’t get better than this, especially around the sub $500 price point.
5. Touch Sensitive Display
When Steve Jobs introduced the first touch-sensitive keyboard that was brilliantly tucked into the display when not in use, it was the best thing the world had ever seen on a smartphone, prior to that time. Accordingly, it didn’t take time for the entire industry to be completely revolutionized and traditional static keyboards phased out in favor of built-in keyboards that lived right on the touch display. Since then, the touch display has reigned supreme, so far as mobile devices are concerned.
However, as with anything tech, while this trend has taken over smartphones and the bulk of mobile devices, it is yet to come into mainstream laptops – even as the reality today is tilting towards apps and not the old-school programs of yore.
However, in the world of Chromebooks, this giant leap of touch displays, made in mobile tech, is something that one cannot neglect or relegate to the background. This is so because the Google Play Store is where the apps that power this OS live…and almost all the apps there are designed with a touch-first reality.
This is where the exceptional nature of the x360 Chromebook comes to the fore: with the touch display, it is possible to interface with the apps as if one were using a smartphone directly and usually, it doesn’t matter if the device is in tablet, clamshell or tent mode; it just works and while at it, handles it with a grace that is rare and beautiful to behold, all at the same time.
6. Brilliant And Super Clear Speakers
As earlier indicated, there’s always a trade-off when things are offered well below their market prices or generally, for cheap. The trick is usually in looking for what the trade-off is and deciding if you can live with the fact that such a component is missing in the device or has been offered in a manner that is inconsistent with the highest grades possible.
Usually, for Chromebooks and other laptops that are in the affordable spectrum, such a trade-off is usually with the speakers: poorly tuned speakers; speakers that are barely audible, or speakers that face anywhere else but where they are actually supposed to face.
The Chromebook under discussion, to its credit, is impressively different: it comes stock with two speakers that are loud enough to be heard even when background noises are present in the place. Thanks to awesome tuning, the speakers aren’t just loud, they also sound premium enough to mistake them for speakers on some high-end laptop.
That isn’t all: unlike most of the impractical designs that see to it that speakers face downwards or any other impractical place, the positioning of these speakers is actually great – they face forward on both sides – at the end of the keyboard, both left and right. It is difficult to see what will come between the sound they produce and your ears, when in use. Personally, they have given me nothing but joy especially when I decide to blare the classical rap music of the 90s as I compose an article and nod my head to the rhythms and flow of the greatest rappers ever to walk the earth!
7. A Portable Enough Size For All Tasks
Traditionally, there is nothing like one size fits all. People are different and their needs in whatever they are buying will always be different. It, therefore, makes little sense to believe that an option that is good enough for a demographic will be great for all intended users of that device, facility, or thing.
However, in as much as there isn’t strictly a one size fit all in the real world, there are options that are close; when compared to how well they serve their intended purposes or how close they come to serving such a purpose for all those who come across such an option.
With a standard display of 14 inches, the x360 is the best of both worlds: those who are interested in a large display and those who prefer their displays smaller. For all users (including would-be users), there’s always something for everyone. It may not be perfect, but, it remains as close as can be – if the task on the menu is to get the much elusive one size fits all reality.
Summary: What Are The Trade-Offs For The Affordable x360 14a Chromebook?
As with everything tech, there are certainly tradeoffs when there is an offer that is as affordable as what we have here; it is only natural to expect same. As noted earlier on in the article, what makes it a great deal or a deal breaker is how the tradeoff is taken and importantly, what is paramount to you as a user.
Two of such tradeoffs are clearly visible after using this Chromebook for a while:
- A display without an ambient light sensor. The end result of the lack of this feature is that, in the event that you need to use this Chromebook outside where it’s very bright, you’ll need to manually adjust the display settings, or strain your eyes reading the content on the screen.
- The trackpad, while generally okay, isn’t very great or very precise. In addition, it certainly isn’t the quietest. If you’re a stickler for a very responsive trackpad that truly feels premium and is quiet even in super-hush environments, this is something you should consider carefully.
- The keyboard isn’t lit. If you do a lot of typing in dark environments and haven’t yet mastered the placement of your keys by memory, this could potentially slow you down.
It is worthy of note that none of these ‘issues’ has ever stopped me from using or enjoying my Chromebook since I hardly have use for a computer outdoors, can live with the 80% perfect trackpad, and importantly, have mastered my key placements by heart and have no need for a backlight keyboard (fun fact: do you know that a backlit keyboard contributes appreciably in draining your battery when in use?)
If, like me, the issues above aren’t things to gloat over, then, you should consider the x360 14a Chromebook as the best Chromebook under $400.
There is hardly anything better out there around this price point.